Channing Tatum finally breaks silence on his over a decade in the making Deadpool and Wolverine cameo

Channing Tatum in Fly Me to the Moon — (Image credit: AppleTV+)

Deadpool and Wolverine is jam-packed with Easter eggs and cameos, but the one we were most shocked to see is Gambit, played by Channing Tatum - a role over 10 years in the making. The star has finally broken his silence on his surprise pop-up in an emotional social media post, and it's all thanks to Ryan Reynolds.

"These pictures are almost 10 years apart to the day," said Tatum in an Instagram post consisting of two pictures of him and Reynolds at Comic-Con 2015 and Comic-Con 2024. In both pictures, Tatum is wearing a Gambit T-shirt, which feels rather serendipitous as the lost Gambit movie was announced at Fox’s panel that year.

The star then went on to detail how he saw the first Deadpool movie at SDCC15 and immediately ran backstage to congratulate Reynolds. "Since then I can say that there is almost no one that has had my back in this industry more than Ryan." From then on, it sounds like Reynolds helped Tatum get Gambit on screen. "I thought I had lost Gambit forever," said Tatum. "But he fought for me and Gambit. I will owe him probably forever." See Tatum’s full post below.

A post shared by Channing Tatum (@channingtatum)
A photo posted by on

Tatum’s Gambit AKA Remy Labeau holds one of the more lengthy Deadpool and Wolverine cameos, which we are certain pleased some Marvel fans, as our writer says in our Deadpool and Wolverine review: "There are surprise appearances here that will delight even the most avid followers."

But his appearance is more than just added humor, it is the result of a decade-long uphill battle for Tatum who has been trying to get a Gambit movie off of the ground since one was in development at Fox in 2014. However, due to many script and director changes, and then Disney later buying the rights to Marvel, the project was ultimately scrapped.

But it sounds like Tatum doesn’t hold any grudges, as he posted, “All things happen for a reason. I’m so grateful to be in this movie. It’s a masterpiece in my opinion. And just pure badass joy. I was literally screaming in the theater." Now, all that’s left to be asked is, will Gambit appear in a possible Deadpool 4 movie? Let's hope it doesn't take another 10 years this time.

Deadpool and Wolverine is out in theaters now. For more, check out our guide on how to watch Marvel movies in order, or keep up with upcoming Marvel movies and TV shows.

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.